LXXI
by NuggerBugger
Summary: After the Cullen's victory over Victoria, a new coven arrives in Forks. It's members are creatures of legend, with their own agenda and their own war; a war in which the Cullens play a greater role than even Alice could have predicted.


_Undue significance a starving man attaches_

_To food_

_Far off; he sighs, and therefore hopeless,_

_And therefore good._

_._

_Partaken, it relieves indeed, but proves us_

_That spices fly_

_In the receipt. It was the distance_

_Was savory._

_ ~ LXXI, by Emily Dickenson_

* * *

Alice had just sat down in the passenger seat of her new car when the images flooded in. Jasper sat down, then realized what was happening. He closed the door and turned his focus on her. In moments, it was over, and he felt the anxiety of what she had just seen.

"What is it?" He asked. She shook her head, still in minor shock.

"I don't know." She said quietly, then turned to him with concern in her eyes. "But something's coming…"

* * *

Something _was_ coming. A young woman on the other side of the country paused, her eyes rising over the hot mug in her hands. The moment passed, and she stumbled, reaching out to the leather couch for support. A dog looked up, whining softly. The young woman, pretty and thin with short brown hair and green eyes, and dressed in loose, flowing clothes, nodded at him, and stepped closer to the window. It took up the entire wall, granting her the most beautiful view of Manhattan, glittering against the night sky. Despite the hour, her precious city hustled and bustled below as it always did, completely unaware of what she had just seen.

"It's worse than we thought," she said. The dog pulled itself to its feet, walking over to her, and the young woman rested her hand on his head.

* * *

The jeep roared as it sped through the night, its passengers howling with laugher. Three out of four of them were pale; unusually so, their skin white like marble. The driver, James, ruggedly handsome with a chiseled jaw, stubbed cheeks and shaggy blond hair, parked the car and leapt out. He wore long jeaned shorts and leather flip-flips, a tan button-down opened to reveal a toned chest and abs. The sleeves were also rolled up, revealing the tattoo of a hummingbird hovering by a flower on a strong forearm. Around his neck was a thick gold chain, which matched the ring in his ear. He also wore a leather-braided bracelet on his wrist. Grinning, he turned his incredible blue eyes to the tiny woman in the passenger seat, and walked over to lift her up and out of the car, and onto the sidewalk.

The young woman, Jordan, had thick auburn locks pulled up in a ponytail, with a curtain of bangs falling just to her dark eyes. She wore long jeans with folded hems and a blue tank top, with multiple ear piercings and manicured nails. She smiled up at James, rising up on her tiptoes to plant her berry-colored lips on his cheek. He grinned and kissed her.

The other two passengers jumped out of the car immediately after the first. The second man, Daniel, had the look of a Calvin Klein model. Not quite as tall as James, he was still muscled and toned underneath his t-shirt and jeans. His brown locks were cut short, a charming smile spreading on his features. It was flashed at Madeline, who let out a bold laugh. She was not so pale as the others, her features not so unnaturally flawless, but her beauty would still have easily rivaled Jordan's, had she not been so crazy.

Thick, blond ringlets surrounded a pretty, round face of delicate features. Her lips were full, her cheeks rosy, and her eyes big and blue. But, she held them wide, those lips often pulled into a wide grin. Madeline also dressed like something out of a circus, tonight wearing boldly colored jester tights, a wide, frilly skirt of pinks and whites, and several tank tops underneath a closed black vest. She had a tie around her neck, and a tiny top hat fixed into her ringlets just off the center of her head. Several rings covered her fingers, some simple steel bands, others busy and big, and several large-faced watches covered her wrists, all reading different times. The only things subtle about Madeline were her earrings, simple black pearls, and her makeup, her eyes accentuated by black, winged liquid eyeliner just underneath her lower lashes, champagne-colored eye shadow, and soft gloss covering her lips.

"Meetcha in 20!" Madeline called, her voice soft and dreamy, but louder than it had to be. "And remember—_suuuuubtle_!" The four nodded at each other, and James and Jordan went in one direction, leaving Daniel and Madeline to head in another. They moved swiftly, unseen, for while they had not been changed for very long—no longer than a year—not one of them was human.

Madeline giggled, finding herself in one of Jacksonville's alleys. She leapt into the air, and the soles of her ballet flats touched one wall, then the other. With a twirl, she landed gracefully on the roof, looking expectantly at Daniel. He jumped directly from the street to the roof, and the two continued on, seeking out their prey. On such a warm night, there was to be a lot of them.

They found their first victims, a sickeningly lovey-dovey couple a little younger than they, walking hand-in-hand down the street. Madeline pouted visibly, and Daniel kneeled beside her in the shadows.

"Something wrong?"

"No," she said. "I just don't understand why they would _lie_!"

"Lie about what?" Daniel asked.

"About _dating_!" Madeline exclaimed, tilting her head as she examined them. "They tell each other they're dating exclusively, then whore themselves out to everyone they know!"

"A mystery, indeed," Daniel smirked.

"Not really."

Daniel chuckled, and Madeline leapt down from the roof. She then cart-wheeled in front of the couple. Leaning forward, Madeline grinned a wide grin, revealing rows of fangs. They tried to scream, jumping backwards into the alley, but as soon as they opened their mouths, a pair of strong hands cracked their necks.

"Aw," Madeline whined. "I wanted a little more fun than _that_! I like the _chase_."

"I thought you said 'subtle'," Daniel said, and lifted the woman. She had only been paralyzed from the neck down, unable to do more but dart her eyes wildly about.

"Whateveeeeer," Madeline rolled her eyes. Daniel sunk his fangs into the woman's neck, and Madeline turned her grin to the man.

* * *

Jordan and James saw no need to travel by rooftop, James slipping his arm around Jordan's waist as they walked among their prey unnoticed. After some walking, Jordan smirked, and whispered, "that one looks tasty." She was referring to a dark-skinned woman pushing a stroller.

"The one with the kid?" James asked.

"I don't know," Jordan said, musing. "Madeline says little kids are especially tasty, but…they _are_ little kids."

"Madeline's nuts, babe."

"Yeah, but she's usually right about stuff…Although…_that_ guy is also tasty-looking…" She was referring to a man in a suit, walking past them. Jordan licked her lips. "Definitely tastier."

They followed him into a nearly empty parking lot 5 minutes away from the rest of the town. Jordan completely disappeared, and James stepped into the shadows, his eyes sweeping the lot for a meal of his own.

* * *

Edward smelled the blood on the air. He paused, hidden in the shadows a good distance away, and looked towards the location of the scent. He could hear something else, too; soft, slow footsteps. They were nearby. He considered investigating when he heard Bella's voice.

"Bye!" she said with a wave. Jessica and Ashley got in Ashley's car, and waved back.

"See you tomorrow!" They said, and Bella watched from beside her truck as they drove out of the theater parking lot, towards the highway. When they were gone, she reached for her keys, buried at the bottom of her purse.

Suddenly, she was shoved against her car door. The next thing she knew, the force that did it was gone, and Edward stood next to her, snarling.

"_You don't touch her_!" He growled. Bella clutched her purse to her chest.

"Edward!" She cried, and looked over his shoulder at the man he had knocked back. He was tall and ruggedly handsome—impossibly handsome, actually—with shaggy blond locks and incredible blue eyes. Bella gasped, suddenly fixated on him. He straightened up, the smirk on his face a friendly one.

"Sorry, dude," he said, raising his hands defensively. "Didn't realize she'd already been claimed. Do you, uh, live around here?"

"That's none of your business," Edward snapped. "Just stay away from her."

"Hey, man, chill out," James said. "It's just one human! There are plenty, here!" Edward growled, stepping forward. "Okay, okay! I get it! I can find someone else! No big deal!"

"Baby, what's wrong?" A voice asked. Bella jumped, ripped from her reverie. Slowly, she turned, and saw Jordan sitting cross-legged on the roof of her car. She looked around 20, but had a child-like quality to her. Even the way she used her voice was child-like. Edward growled at her, evidently taken by surprise.

"Hey, dude," James said warningly. "Don't growl at my girl." He looked to Jordan and pointed a thumb at Edward. "Looks like your scouts got a little careless, babe. They missed one."

"Oh…Well, that's no big deal, right?" Jordan asked. "You can just kill him."

"Do we have time for a fight?" James asked. Jordan giggled.

"Aw, look how little he is! You can take him, easy! Just so long as we kill the girl, too."

Edward growled, pushing Bella behind him as he turned, poised to pounce on whoever attacked first. Bella was panicking. She looked around, as if help may miraculously appear. Certainly Alice had already foreseen this, and come to their aid—maybe even with Jasper. _Hurry_, she prayed, and James took a step forward.

"So much for being subtle."

Bella shrieked as James leapt at Edward. He grabbed Bella and leapt out of the way, just barely missing James' powerful swing. Edward took off, but Jordan appeared in a flash, a kick sending him back to the ground. Edward dropped Bella, who rolled over and tried to crawl away. She still had her purse, and emptied the contents onto the floor, reaching for her cell phone. She had managed to punch SEND, when a pair of converse appeared in her vision.

"Hey, I had a phone just like that when I was human, too!" Jordan commented. Bella screamed and dropped the phone, crawling backwards. Jordan walked towards her. Edward saw and roared, narrowly missing James' punch, which went right through one of the cars in the nearly-empty lot. Edward threw himself at Jordan. Jordan disappeared in a flash, and James let out a roar of his own. It vibrated in Bella's chest, and she screamed again as Edward turned, then jumped back as James' fist split the concrete, again narrowly missing Edward. Edward jumped at him, trying to wresting him to the ground, but James was too powerful. He didn't budge, instead cracking Edward's head on the concrete. Bella screamed again, and jumped up, throwing herself at James. He paused, taken aback by the suicidal move.

"James, look out!"

"Huh—Oauf!"

James broke through the steel fencing surrounding the lot. Jasper landed on his feet in front of Edward and Bella, his eyes on James.

"You guys alright?" he asked.

"There's…one more…" Edward managed, sitting up. Just as he did, Jordan shot into the ground a few meters from James, and Alice twirled in the air next to Bella.

"Alice!" Bella gasped.

"Bella," Alice said. "Run."

"No, I'm not leaving you guys!" Bella insisted. Already, Jordan staggered onto her feet, her head in her hands.

"Ow…" she complained. "She's really fast…are you okay, baby?"

James groaned, pulling himself free of the thin fencing laced into his flesh. Jasper saw the dark blood coagulating on the steel, and the flesh wounds that quickly healed as he pulled free of the fence.

"I don't know what they are," Jasper said. "But they're not vampires."

"Hey, that's not true!" Jordan said, still cradling her head. "You're the ones who aren't vampires!"

"If they're not vampires, then what are they?" Bella asked.

"Bella, it doesn't matter what they are," Edward said to her, pulling himself to his feet. "Just get out of here—we'll hold them off."

"Sorry, dude," James said, stepping forward. "I don't know what your deal is with that human, but we're gonna have to kill all of you."

"I won't let you!" Edward snapped.

"Aw, how cute!" Jordan said suddenly, lowering her hands. "She's his _pet_!"

"Huh?" James asked.

"Y'know…like my piggy!"

"Uh…not that it matters," James said slowly. "But I don't think that's healthy, dude…"

"Well, they're not really vampires," Jordan said. "They smell more like cupcakes. Maybe they don't eat humans!"

"Wait," James said. "That's a good point. Would Sarah want us to kill them, then?"

"I don't know…" Jordan said. "Maybe we should call and ask…?"

"Hmmm…I don't think so…"

All eyes turned to Bella's truck. She sat on its roof, leaning forward with her palms pressed against the edge of the roof between her legs. Bella held her breath, looking at the girl. She was fair and beautiful, with thick blond ringlets, rosy cheeks, and big blue eyes, but she dressed like something right out of a circus ring. Tilting her head, her wide eyes focused on Alice, then Edward, then Jasper.

"How come they're alive?" Madeline asked.

"It's not my fault!" Jordan whined. "I don't even know what they are!"

"Hmmmmm…" Madeline said thoughtfully, still studying everyone. She turned her eyes back to Jasper, and tilted her head again. Then, she looked at Bella, who felt a chill go up her spine under the mad girl's gaze. Then, she looked at Jordan and James.

"Okay, I'll let it go," she said decidedly. "But only because I told you and your scouts to kill off the vampires."

"And just what are you supposed to be?" Alice asked with distaste in her voice. "I didn't see _you_ in my vision. Just them."

"But, evidently, Amy saw _you_," a voice said. Daniel appeared at the entrance of the lot, his phone up by his head as the pressed the END button. He put the phone in his pocket, catching Bella's stare. Just like James, he resembled a god, formed by marble. He flashed a charming smile at her, and she blushed. "Every one of you."

"So…" James said slowly. "We killing them, or what?"

"What _exactly_ did she say?" Madeline asked dreamily, pulling her eyes from Bella. Her head tilted at Daniel.

"She called me to tell me she had a vision. When I asked about them," he tilted his head at the Cullens. "She said they were in it."

"Aaaand?"

"That's it," Daniel said with a humored smirk. "Apparently, your presence has a tendency to skew her vision."

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…that's not very helpful!" Daniel just shrugged, and Madeline tilted her head again at the Cullens. Everyone waited as her eyes slid over each Cullen, and then Bella. They hovered between Edward and Bella for a while, and then jumped between Jasper and Alice. Edward pressed his lips together, focusing on Madeline. Jasper did the same.

"What about Sarah?" Madeline finally asked, looking to Daniel.

"Nothing from Amy, but she's definitely nearby."

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…" Madeline said, still thinking. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…okay! Decision made! Let 'em go! I'm gonna get an ice cream! See ya in 30!"

She disappeared in a gust of wind, the roof of the car crushing beneath her.

"That's that, then," Daniel said.

"Baby, I'm still hungry," Jordan complained. "Let's go."

"Alright. Sorry about the attack, dude," James said to Edward. Then, he nodded at Bella. "And lady dude. Danny, you coming with?"

"Nah, I'ma go catch up with Maddy."

"Your call," James said, then leapt up on top of what was left of the steel fence. Jordan smiled and waved, following.

"Bye!" She called to everyone. Daniel turned, and walked out of the lot.

"Wait!" Bella said, and he paused, turning.

"Bella," Edward hissed.

"What just happened?" Bella asked, ignoring him.

"A minor misunderstanding," he said, and flashed her a smile. Immediately, she blushed. He flashed Alice a smile, too, and she pressed her lips into a line. Jasper looked at her. "We'll be more careful in the future." Daniel promised, then continued out of the lot. Once he was on the street, he disappeared in a flash.

"He's really fast…" Alice said quietly. Jasper nodded, watching the spot Daniel disappeared. Edward helped Bella to her feet, and she looked around at the ruined garage, suddenly aware of where they were.

"Should we…get out of here? Before someone sees all this?"

"There's a strange energy field around the parking lot," Alice said. "I saw a human walk by during the fight, and then continue on as if they didn't even see it."

"You think they put it up?" Edward asked.

"Well, Jasper and I sure didn't," Alice said.

"What does all of this mean?" Bella asked. Jasper, Alice and Edward all looked at each other.

"I don't know," Edward said. "But…let me take you home. We'll…worry about your truck tomorrow."

"My…? Oh…" Bella saw her truck just as ruined as the lot, the body crushed and the tires flattened. Alice helped Bella pick up her things, and Edward led Bella out of the lot, and into the night.


End file.
